Conveyor rollers

ABSTRACT

Means for causing rotation of idle rollers of a set of rollers, of one or more shelves of a conveyor framework, have at least one rod for each shelf with such rollers, said rod making contact in a working postion, with the rollers to cause them to rotate and thus move forward the objects placed on them. The contact may be made by friction of a layer of soft material, or by engagement of teeth with toothed pinions, or by belt means, and those idle rollers which are not to be rotated may be braked by braking means controlled by said rods.

United States Patent Putin CONVEYOR ROLLERS [72] Inventor: Enrico Putin,2, Via P. Trevisan,

Vicenza,ltaly [22] Filed: June 22, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 48,257

[52] US. Cl. ..l98/l27 [51] Int. Cl ..B6Sg 13/02 [58] Field of Search198/127 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,194,219 3/1940Eggleston 198/ 127 1,879,720 9/1932 Von Reis .1 198/127 1,967,747 7/1934Eggleston ..l98/ 127 [151 3,685,636 [451 Aug. 22, 1972 PrimaryExaminer-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-H. S. Lane Attorney-WilliamAnthony Drucker [57] ABSTRACT Means for causing rotation of idle rollersof a set of rollers, of one or more shelves of a conveyor framework,have at least one rod for each shelf with such rollers, said rod makingcontact in a working postion, with the rollers to cause them to rotateand thus move forward the objects placed on them. The contact may bemade by friction of a layer of soft material, or by engagement of teethwith toothed pinions, or by belt means, and those idle rollers which arenot to be rotated may be braked by braking means controlled by saidrods.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED A118 22 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 CONVEYORROLLERS The object of the present invention is to provide means toinduce rotation in rollers, revolving idly, of one or more roller planesof a conveyor, particularly for clay shapes to be put into a drier.

In the production of bricks or tiles, frames with several shelves areused to carry the bricks or tiles to be put into the drier.

These frames may be equipped with rollers rotating idly, for example asspecified in Italian Pat. No. 780,130 of the same applicant.

As, for convenience, the clay shapes need to be spaced out when they areplaced on the shelves, particular skill is required for this purpose.

For example, one may use the loading apparatus described in Italian Pat.No. 678,680 of the same applicant.

It would also be possible to carry out the loading of the clay shapes inspaced-out positions by means of frames in which the rollers weremotorised. This however would require electric motors to be mounted onthe frames; these would have to be connected to the mains supply eachtime the frame was put to the loading operation, and in additioncomplicated and expensive means of transmission would be needed toconvey the motion of the motor itself to the individual rollers.

This arrangement, besides being expensive and complicated, when it hasto be applied to a large number of frames, would be exceedingly liableto damage and deterioration, since the frames would have to be putinside the driers with the clay shapes placed on them.

However, according to the present invention there is provided a devicecomposed of one or more moving rods arranged to match the loadingapparatus; these will induce rotation in the idle rollers on theseparate shelves of the frame, thus turning them into motors just forthe time needed to carry out the loading.

It is obvious that, on the basis of the new concept now described, it ispossible to achieve numerous ways of constructing the invention, all ofthem included within the scope of the patent as defined in the appendedclaims.

For example, in a first method of carrying out the invention, the deviceincludes a moving rod for each shelf, equipped underneath with a layerof soft material, e.g. rubber or something similar, which, when comingin contact with the idling rollers, makes them rotate by friction whileitself moving forward.

In a second method of carrying out the invention, the movable rod isequipped with a series of teeth, like a rack, which engage with toothedpinions which are integral with the idle rollers, making them rotatewhile itself moving forward.

A further method of carrying out the invention is to equip the movingrod with a belt rotating on two pulleys keyed to the rod, made to rotateby motors, the belt making contact with the idle rollers for the timeneeded to transfer the objects arranged on them, being then raised andremoved at the end of the operation.

In order to avoid the disadvantages which might be met in using theseframes, owing to the fact that the rollers rotate when idle, whichcauses the pieces resting on them to shift while the frame is beingtransferred or otherwise at the end of the loading operation, provisionis made for the insertion of automatic braking devices in some or all ofthe idling rollers, so as to stop the rollers from rotating; thesedevices are disconnected when loading or unloading takes place, bymechanical means connected with the moving rod and acting on it.

By way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a first method of constructing theinvention, with a moving rod equipped with a soft layer underneath;

FIG. 2' shows a second method of construction, equipped with a movingrod having rack teeth underneath;

FIG. 3 shows a third method of constructing the invention, with a movingrod equipped with a rotating belt;

FIG. 4 shows a method of construction like that in FIG. 3 but with adifferent manner of operation.

FIG. 5 shows electric control motor means to move the rods.

In the first method of constructing the invention, illustrated in FIG.1, the rod 1, equipped with a layer underneath 2, in a soft material,e.g. rubber, moves forward and makes contact with the rollers 3, whichare idle, and causes them to rotate in the direction shown by arrows,and therefore as a result makes the objects placed over them moveforward also.

At the end of the work-stint rod 1 is raised to the position shown bythe broken lines and indicated by reference 1', thus breaking contactwith the rollers 3 which thus come to a stop.

In the second method of constructing the invention, illustrated in FIG2, rod 4 is furnished with teeth 5 on its lower side, making a rack,these teeth making contact with the teeth 6 of the toothed pinion keyedon to the shafts of the idle rollers 7, making them rotate during thework-stint.

Also in this case, at the end of the work-stint, rod 4 makes a liftingmovement, in order to be conveyed to a position corresponding to thatshown by broken lines and indicated by reference 4', disengaging thepinion 6 and consequently stopping the rotating movement of rollers 7.

In the third method of constructing the invention, illustrated in FIG.3, rod 8 is equipped with pulleys 9 and 10, which carry belt 11 which,when in the working position, makes contact with rollers 12, which arerunning idle, and causes them to rotate.

Naturally, one of the pulleys 9 and 10 is connected mechanically with anelectric control motor, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

At the end of the work-stint of rod 8 the latter is raised, disengagingbelt 1 1 from rollers 12.

Rod 8 can be given an approach movement in the direction of arrow 13,which precedes a lowering movement in the direction of arrow 14, beforebringing belt 11 in contact with rollers 12. Naturally at the end of thework-phase, which corresponds with the forward movement of the objectsplaced on rollers 12, rod 8 is displaced in a direction opposite to thearrows 14 and 13 respectively.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4, rod 15 carrying pulleys 16,which support the belt 17, which in the working phase makes contact withrollers 18, moves forward in the direction of arrow 19 during theworking phase, with the result that the rotatory movement of rollers 18depends on the rotatory movement of belt 17 and on the forward movementof rod 15.

This last, at the end of the working phase, is raised so as to reach theposition illustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 4 and shown by thenumber and so as in turn to come back to a position of rest by moving inthe direction of arrow 20.

In FIG. 5, the movable arm 8 can be seen. On it are mounted the pulleys9 and 10 which carry the endless moving belt 11. This belt is set inrotation by the electric motor 21 which is connected, through thereduction gear 22 to the chain transmission 23 with the pulley 9. Thearm 8 runs in its turn by means of the rollers 24 on the guide rod 25which is set in a fixed position, in proximity to the frame which isfurnished with platforms on rollers so that it can rotate.

The trolley 26, on which the moving arm 8 is mounted, in its turn is setin rotation by the endless chain 27, turned by the electric motor 29 viathe chain transmission 28.

Naturally the rollers are set in rotation when the arm 8 is insertedabove each platform on rollers, it being possible to displace the frame,furnished with platforms on rollers, in a vertical direction, when thearm 8 is completely withdrawn form the platforms on rollers themselves.

lclaim:

1. Means driven by an electric motor for causing rotation of idlerollers of a movable set of rollers of one or more shelves of a conveyorframework, wherein at least one longitudinally movable rod for eachshelf having such rollers makes lateral connection, in a workingposition, with said rollers, causing them to rotate and thus movingforward objects placed on them, wherein the rod which is connected tothe rollers of the roller platform belonging to the transportation frameincludes a belt supported by pulleys keyed to the rod and rotated bysaid electric motor, said belt contacting said rollers and causing themto rotate by frictional connection between the rotating belt and saidrollers.

Patent No. 3,685,636 Dated August 22, 1972 I lnvento -(s) Enrico PutinIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

T On the cover sheet insert [30] Foreign Application PriorityData July1, 1969 Italy 61.600/Af69 Signed and sealed this 1st day of May 1973,

' (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attes'ting Officer Commissionerof Patehts:

FORM PC4050 v uscoMM-oc scam-Pee I a U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2I969 D-366-334,

1. Means driven by an electric motor for causing rotation of idle rollers of a movable set of rollers of one or more shelves of a conveyor framework, wherein at least one longitudinally movable rod for each shelf having such rollers makes lateral connection, in a working position, with said rollers, causing them to rotate and thus moving forward objects placed on them, wherein the rod which is connected to the rollers of the roller platform belonging to the transportation frame includes a belt supported by pulleys keyed to the rod and rotated by said electric motor, said belt contacting said rollers and causing them to rotate by frictional connection between the rotating belt and said rollers. 